This here is my sanctuary. See this is where I chill. Where I relax. Where I chillax.

Friday, June 04, 2004

King of the B - students

Believe it or not my last four semesters at Purdue were almost straight As.
There was one B grade in my 7 class, 20 credit hour semester that the entire second floor southeast of Cary Quad wanted to put me out of my misery for. Not the fact I got a B, but because I was in 7 classes in one semester!

Law school has been very humbling in that respect. The fall semester was the best I had ever had. I was hoping to maintain that upward momentum during the spring, or at least stay where I was. When the first few grades appeared I knew it was going to be trouble for me. Between being in 6 classes, partial burnout, planning a trip to D.C., and suddenly realizing I had no idea what the Chevron rule of deference in Admin Law was I have no one to blame but myself. Evidence finally posted. The good news: it didn't hurt me at all. The bad news: it didn't help me at all either. It's not the worst semester, that honor is reserved for the craptacular first semester of school. I simply hate suddenly going back downhill gradewise again.

I'm not moping. As I've continuously told my inexperienced first years groupees, grades are not the measure of a person. There is far more to me, and other students, than a cumulative GPA average. It's the fact that, rightly or wrongly, many employers look to GPA as a arbitrary point on whether or not to grant an interview. It's the fact that so much of our law school culture does have a pecking order that is partially based on GPA. It's also the fact that in the end, I fail my own standards.

I've learned something over the past few months that is more important to me than a high GPA, I truly have the respect of many of my classmates. Respect is earned; a reflection of trust, confidence, faith, and ability. The past few months has shown me how much many of my classmates mean to me. Their respect, their friendship, their faith in ourselves is priceless and immeasurable in value to me. Let's hit a bar sometime guys and gals. The first round is on me.